Steering device.



No. 832,798. PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906.

F. A. LAW. STEERING DEVICE.

APPLIUATION FILED O0T.23, 1905.

To all whom it ma'y concern:

UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED A. LAW, or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

' STEERIN'G DEVICE.

\ Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented'Oct. 9,1906.

Application 1116a October 23, 1905. seam. 283.989.

Be it known that I, FRED A. LAW, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Hartford,- in'the' county of Hartfordand State of Connecticut, have invented'new and useful Improvements in Steering Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steering devices for self-propelled vehicles, and has special reference to an improved construction 'of steering device embodying, simple and -practical means for quickly transmitting the move- V consists in the novel construction, combine ment of the steersmans Wheel to the steering wheels of the vehicle. Also the inventiorf tion, and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated,

. and claimed.

- In the accompanying drawings,-Figure l is a sectional elevation of a complete steering device embodying the present invention.

- Fig. 2 is a top plan view'showing' the controller-handles and the locking-segment. 3'

is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of 1. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the steering connections between the steering-slide and the steering-wheels of the vehicle. Fig. 5 is adetail sectional view showing the'locking device foi'one of the controller-handles. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary end view of the steering device. Like references designate corresponding 1 parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying out thepre sent invention the various working elements of the device are supported and maintained inoperative rela-' tionthrough the employment of ,a main supporting-base; This main supporting-base is designated in itsentirety by the numeral 1 I and consists of a casting or forging of: suitable size and strength'to provide'for not onlythe rigidsupportflCf the stationary members of the steering device, but also providing means for guiding and holding-one ofathe members which directly connects with the: steering connections for the steering-wheels of the vehicle. This main. su porting-base 1. is provided at the, upper 'sidb thereof with a plurals andinghanger-brackets 2 ca suitably -arranged fastening bolts :3

rovide means for a rigid attachmentzof the" anger-brackets to a bolster, beam, brace, or

other rigid part of the running gear 10f the vehicle. The said upstandinghanger-brackets therefore provide for rigidly suspending the main supporting-base from a rigid part of "the running-gear, and said base in ts prefer- I able construction is essentially in the form of.

ano en boxing provided -at its open side with ongitudinal rabbets or rooves 4, constituting a guideway for sli ably re'ceiving therein areciprocatory steering-slide 5. The steering slide 5 is properlyretaineddn its guideway by. means of flan ed retainingplates 6, bolted or otherwise etachably-secured to one'side of the base above and below the slide. Also the supporting-base has detachabfy fitted over the open side thereofwhich receives the steering-slide a cover-plate which acts as a housing to partly or entirely cover the slide. i

The reciprocatory steering-slide 5 receives at one end thereof a fastening-bolt 8 for rigidly securing thereto one end of a fixed crankarm 9, the other end of which arm preferably carries a joint-ball lOfhaving the socket con- .nection 11 at one end of the connecting-rod 12 the other end of which rod is coupled to a transmitting bell-crank .13, having operative' connection with the cross-bar 14, which conples or links togetherthe steering-knuc es of;

the o posite steering-Wheels 15 of a self-pro pelled or similar veh1cle.

The parts described constitute the steering connections between the wheels and the steering-slide of the steering device, and it willbe understood that any operative'connections for this purpose may be employed ent invention.

' withoutdeparting from the scope of the pres- The reciprocatory steering-slide carries ia;

longitudinally-arranged adjusting-rack 16. This rackmay be cast integrally with the, 'slide bo dy or separatelyfastened thereto, as shown in the drawings, in either event constituting arigid part of the slide-,-so that when motion is communicated to the rack the slide moves therewith and effects the movement or actuation of the steering connection with the wheel.

In order'to accommodate the usual in,- clined positions of the arts of the steering .device..within reach 0 the steersman,.the

rack of the steering=slide is o'f the' mitertype that is formed with teeth set obliquely and designed to mesh with the spurs or radial= teeth of an obliquely-supported actuatingpinion 1 7, which is arranged within an inclined caring-box 18, carried and supported by the main su porting-base 1. The said inclined bearing-box is set obliquely or at an inclination and is arranged at the side of the supporting-base which receives and uides the steerin -slide, and the said bearingox is cast integrally or otherwise rigidly connected with the main supporting-base, so as to constitute a part of the main support or base of the steering device; but to permit .of the *assembling of the parts-the boxing 18 is provided at its outer side with a detachable cap member 19, bolted, as at 20, or otherwise detachably fastened to thefast part' or member of the boxing.

The bearing-box 118 is necessarily open at the side next to the rack 16 to provide for the 'intermeshing of said rack and the actuatingpinion therefor, and in connection with the with the mounting) of the various parts associated the upper and lower ends thereof above and below the plane of the/ pinion with thecoritracted terminal bearing-collars 21 and 22, respectively, which bearing-collars are fitted with babbitted or other suitable bearin sleeves or bearing members to provide wi e bearing-points for the bearing-supported the actuating-pinion. In this connection it will be observed that the said actuating-pinion 17' is-of a tubular construction and is provided at theends thereof with extended journalsleeves 23, which extend through and turn in the'terrriinal collars 21 of the bearing-box 18. The upper journal member of the actuating-piniOn 17 projects above the bearing-box 18 and has a.coupling-collar connection 24 with the lower end of the inclined tubular steering-post 25, which extends in proximity to the steersmans seat and has fitted to the upper end thereof the usual hand-wheel 26,:

which constitutes the steering-wheel.

'Inside of the tubular steering-post 25 and also inside of the actuatingpin1on 17 and its journal-sleeves 23 are arranged en 'ne-con trolling shafts 27 and'28, respectivey. The- 31,- carrying a latch 32, engaging the outer teethof .a stationary lockin -segrnent 33. This locking-segment is provi ed with outer and inner teeth and is made fast to the upper end of a stationary sup ortin -tube'33, extending longitudinally t roug the steeringpost and pinion and connected at its lower aring-box thelatter is provided at shafts extent'ling "through t end to a holding-collar 34, carried by a bracket element 35 on 'the fast part of the bearing-box 18.

The other'controllin -shaft 27 consists of a rod turning inside of the tube 28 and carrying at its lower end a gear-wheel 36, meshing with the rocking rack or e uivalentdevice 37, operatively connected wit the s arker control ofthe engine. The rod or s aft carries at its upper end apontrolleni-handle 38, having a latch which cooperates with the inner teeth of the segment 33.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operatlon, and ractical advantages of the herein-describe steering device will be readily ap arent without further description, and it will be understood that chan es in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction 'Inay be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Havin thus described my invention, what is claime and desired to be secured ,by Letters Patent, is-- v 1. In a steering device, a supporting-base, a steering-slide mounted on the base and provided with a rack, steering-wheel connections with said rack, a bearing-box arranged on the base, a tubular pinion meshing with the rack, I

a tubular steering-postconnected withsaid pinion and carrying the steer'n(gwheel, and separate concentrically-arrangle5 controllingsteering-post and c'ai'rying at their upper ends controller-handles, said separate shafts being provided at their lower ends with motion-transrnitting connections for the carbureter-valve and sparker of, the vehiclemotor.

i 2. Inaste erin g device,a sup Orting base having a guideway, a'reciprocato steeringslidewo rking in the'guidewayan rovided with-a rack, steering-wheelconnections with the slide, a bearing-box carried by the base and provided with u per-and lower terminal bear1ng-'collars,;a tu ular pinion havin extended journal-sleevesturning in said co la'rs,

a tubular steering post connected with one-of said j ournahsleevesand carrying the steeringwheel, a stationary supporting-t ube exten ing through the-steering- 0st and pinion and carrying at its upper en a locking-segment, separate concentrically-arranged controlling shafts {located within said stationary tube and carrying at their upper ends controllerhandles cooperatlng with said se ment, said shafts being provided at their ower ends with motion-transmittin connections for the carbureterwa ve an sparke'r for the vehicle-motor.. I

' FRED A.LAW. Witneslseszffv IH.A..OHAPIN, p

K. '1'. G'Lnmms.

pin-ion and 

